Portable tent.



A. F. LEAOH.

PORTABLE TENT.

ALICE F. LEAGI-I, 013 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PORTABLE TENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Nov. 30, 1909.

Application filed J'u1y14, 1908. Serial No. 443,431.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALICE F. LEAoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Tents, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to tents and, more particularly to a class of portable tents adapted to be carried by hand and capable of being quickly raised and taken down.

The main object of the invention is to provide a portable tent, the pole of which will be made of a plurality of separable sections, and the top section of each pole will be provided with means adapted to not only distend the top of the cover so as to dispense with a ridgepole, but will shape the said top and both reinforce it and afford a watertight lining therefor beneath said top.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a portable knockdown tent wherein the top and sides may be made of light material and yet have the top waterproof by reason of separate water-resisting packing therefor.

A. still further object is to provide a tent of this character wherein the top and sides will be in one integral piece, and will be accurately positioned and held from a point centrally of the top of the distending frame. And a still further object is to provide a device of this character which will be compact in form, light in weight and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts herinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure 1 is a front view of a tent embodying my invention, with the flap thrown over to one side and a portion of the top broken away to disclose the inner umbrella top. Fig. 2 is a de tail view of the end of that section of the standard or pole carrying the clamp member. Fig. 3 is a view of the tent folded for transportation; and Fig. 4: is a view of a section of the center of the top showing the reinforced opening by means of which the tent-cover is positioned relative to the umbrella top.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the present embodiment of my inven tion shown in the drawings, the center pole of the tent is shown as being composed of a plurality of sections a, b, 0, provided with suitable cooperating means whereby they may be united to form a perfectly rigid pole. The lower end of the section a is pointed, as at a, to facilitate the mounting of the pole in the ground or beach, and the upper end thereof is provided with a metallic socket a adapted to receive a tennon b on the section Z). The upper end of the section b is provided with a holder 03, the detail construction of which will be referred to at greater length hereinafter. The section 0 consists of the handle of an ordinary umbrella.

The holder d comprises two jaws, e, f, the insides of which are shaped to conform to the section 0, one of which jaws f is hinged at g to the'other aw e and the socket h by means of which the holder is attached to the section Z). One of said jaws, as f, has its forward edge recessed, as at f, and the other jaw is pivotally mounted therein in a line with said recess and screw 6 carrying a thumb-nut 6 by means of which said jaws may be closed upon the section 0 and clamp it firmly between them. The section 0 carries an ordinary folding metallic umbrella frame z', having a suitable waterproof covering so that the raising of the umbrella will not only form the top of the tent, but will serve as a backing for and a reinforcement to the tent cover or canvas. The frame-i will also, by its flexibility, aid in setting up and striking the tent by giving in a manner to permit the lower edges of said cover to be staked to the ground and thereafter tightening the same so as to hold the tent cover in the extended position. The umbrella section 0 is provided with an ordinary ferruled end 0'.

Tent cover 70 comprises a top section adapted to fit over and conform to the umbrella y when the same is raised and an outwardly flared side section falling from this top section for a distance substantially equaling the length of the center pole, allowing for that spreading at the bottom necessary to deflect water and afford more available space within the tent. The top section and sides may be made after any desired pattern, and in as many sections as may be desired according to the dimensions of the tent or the economical cutting of the material, and the material employed is immaterial, although preferably heavy duck, or like canvas, is used.

5 Centrally of the top section of the tent cover 7c is an opening reinforced by suitable stitching or other reinforcing means 70, which opening is adapted to receive the ferruled end 0 of the umbrella stick section 10 0 and accurately position the top section of the tent cover relative to the umbrella frame and cover and hold it in this position.

The lower edge of the side sections of the cover 70 is provided with a plurality of loops 76 adapted to fit over pegs m which form a part of the portable tent equipment. The tent cover is provided with a flap n for closing the tent opening, suitable ties n being provided for holding said flap inv the closed position.

When it is desired to transport the portable tent outfit, the center pole is taken down and the sections thereof separated, the umbrella closed and the cover It rolled upon itself and upon the pegs m, and the entire outfit fastens together by any suitable means, as a shawl-strap 0. hen folded in this position the length over all will not exceed that of the ordinary umbrella, and the gross weight will be approximately eight pounds.

When it is desired to use the tent, the pole a is assembled by placing the reduced end I) in the socket a and securing the handle of the umbrella section 0 in the holder (Z.

5 this last is accomplished by the clamp-nut c from the jaw f swinging the screw 6 clear of the recessed portion f and opening the jaw f wide so as to permit the insertion of said section between said jaws. Thereupon, this operation is reversed and the jaws e, f, clamped firmly upon the section a through the closing of said jaws by means of the screw 6 and the thumb-nut e During the assembling of the pole, the umbrella 5 frame 2' may be extended or not, as desired. The center pole is then placed in the ground by means of the spiked end a and forced thereinto to an extent to give rigidity to the pole.

The umbrella being raised, the cover 7r is thrown thereover and the reinforced opening in is passed over the ferruled end 0 of the umbrella section 0, the sides 70 being permitted to drop over the edge of the umbrella j and frame 2' to the ground. If desired, the

ferruled end 0 may be brought into convenient reach by releasing the holder cl and lowering the section 0 for this purpose, the umbrella section 0 thereafter being brought to the desired elevation and clamped in this position. It will. be observed that this construction gives-a double top to the tent so that no rain can enter the opening 72 or be driven between the sides is and the top of the '65 tent. This construction also accurately positions both the top and the sides of the tent is and about the umbrella frame supporting same. The pegs m are then inserted about the tent at the desired distances and the sides Z: stretched toward them and secured thereto by passin the loops 70 thereover. This distends the bottom of the tent to the desired extent and this operation is facilitated by reason of the elasticity of the frame 2' which will give, at any time, sufficiently to adapt the tent-cover to any irregularities in the placing of the pegs. Incidentally, the opening is engaging the ferruled end 0 30 will prevent the displacement of the top section of the tent-cover by this stretching operation.

W'hen assembled, as above stated, the umbrella frame and cover will not only serve :35 to shape the top section of the tent body, but will reinforce it and serve as a waterproof backing to an extent to permit the use of much lighter material in the entire tent body, thus not only reducing the weight of the entire structure, but the cost of the material of which the tent body is composed.

It is not my intention to claim broadly the use of an umbrella in a portable tent, such being old and well-known in the art, butI believe it to be new to provide, in combination with an umbrella top, a tent cover comprising a top section adapted to fit over and conform to said umbrella top and substantially integral side sections extending from this top section to a point adj acent to the ground and I intend to claim such. It is not my intention, however, to limit my invention to the precise details of construction shown in the drawings, it being apparent that such may be carried without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by LettersPatent, is

1. In a portable tent, the combination with a center pole comprising a plurality of sections and means whereby said sections may be separably connected, a collapsible umbrella frame carried by the uppermost section, and a waterproof covering therefor, of a tent cover having a top portion adapted to fit over and conform to said frame and its covering, and side portions attached to, and pendent from, said top portion.

2. In a portable tent, the combination with a center pole comprising a plurality of sections and means whereby said sections may be separably connected, at collapsible umbrella frame carried by the uppermost section, the end of said sect-ion, or the umbrella tip, projecting beyond said frame, and a waterproof covering on said frame, of a tent cover having a top portion having adapted to be engaged by said jaws, a col-.

lapsible frame carried thereby and a waterproof covering on said frame, said stick or handle having its end or tip projecting outwardly beyond said frame, of a tent cover having a top portion adapted to fit over and conform to, said frame and its covering, and side portions attached to, and pendent from said top portion.

4. In a portable tent, the combination with a center pole comprising a plurality of sections, means whereby .said sections may be separably connected, a plurality of jaws carried by the uppermost of said sections, clamping means whereby said jaws may be closed or released to be opened, and an umbrella section comprising a stick or handle adapted to be engaged by said jaws, a collapsible frame carried thereby, and a waterproof covering on said frame, said stick or handle having its end or tip projecting outwardly beyond said frame of a tent cover having a top portion adapted to fit over, and conform to, said frame and its covering, side portions attached to, and pendent from said top portion, loops attached to the bottom of said pendent sides, adapted to engage ground pegs, and a closure flap, said top portion having a central reinforced opening therethrough adapted to receive said projecting end or umbrella tip.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 26th day of June, 1908, in the presence of two witnesses.

ALICE F. LEACH.

Witnesses:

B. G. CONNER, A. A. ASHMAN. 

